Just In: ECOWAS Team Exits Niger Without Meeting Coup Leader
- Niger coup leaders and the ECOWAS team did not meet as planned due to some untold developments
- Reports have it that the ECOWAS delegation arrived in Niamey, Niger Republic and did not spend the night as scheduled
- Meanwhile, the Chairman of the ECOWAS Government, President Bola Tinubu, dispatched the delegation on Thursday with a mandate to resolve the current political crisis in the country
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In what could be described as a failed mission, the trip embarked upon by a team from the West African bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) envoy, did not go as planned.
Source: Twitter
ECOWAS team did not meet the Junta leader
Guardian TV reported that the ECOWAS team left without fulfilling scheduled meetings and plans.
The delegation had arrived in the capital, Niamey, on Thursday, August 3, 2023, "but did not spend the night" as scheduled, a delegation member said Friday, August 4, The Punch reported.
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Meanwhile, the country's ousted president warned that his country's security was at risk amid the junta rule.
What was ECOWAS's plan?
Led by former Nigerian President Abdulsalami Abubakar, the delegation was scheduled to meet coup leader Abdourahamane Tiani to present the bloc's demands.
It was also scheduled to meet Niger's ousted president, Mohamed Bazoum.
The regional bloc has given the junta until Sunday to reinstate Bazoum, threatening to use force though stressing it wouldn't spare any effort to resolve the crisis amicably.
A multi-day meeting of the region's defense chiefs about the potential military response will wrap in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, later on Friday.
Niger coup leaders to recall Ambassador from Nigeria, details emerge
The General Abdourahmane Tchiani-led military junta in the Republic of Niger is planning on recalling the Nigerien Ambassador to Nigeria after failing to come to terms with the delegation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), on the return of democracy in Niger.
The junta is also planning to recall Nigerien Ambassadors to the US, France, and Togo, as it pushes to evict French and US troops in the country while declaring an end to all Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between France and the Republic of Niger, The Punch reported on Friday, August 4.
The newspaper said Defence sources privy to the ongoing meeting in Niamey, the Niger capital confirmed the development to its correspondent.
ECOWAS delegation speaks on possible military action in Niger
In a piece of related news, Legit.ng reported that a delegation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) led by Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, who spearheaded the engagement with the leaders of Libya and Algeria concerning the Niger crisis, expressed optimism that the talks will avert a possible military intervention.
Kingibe was the Special Envoy to Lake Chad during the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Source: Legit.ng
